


I Can't Stand Seeing You Like This

by ScullyLovesQueequeg



Series: Tumblr Shorts [1]
Category: The X-Files
Genre: Angst, Complete, Established Relationship, F/M, Pre-Season/Series 10, post-IWTB
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-25
Updated: 2019-09-25
Packaged: 2021-01-15 14:01:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 513
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21254522
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ScullyLovesQueequeg/pseuds/ScullyLovesQueequeg
Summary: Mulder and Scully have a row in a diner.





	I Can't Stand Seeing You Like This

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Hello Teacher](https://archiveofourown.org/works/20756006) by [greycoupon](https://archiveofourown.org/users/greycoupon/pseuds/greycoupon). 

“I guess I don’t understand the point of seeing a therapist—I studied psychology, I think I would know if I was depressed,” Mulder said, scraping his fork against the bottom of his plate. The noise that ensued didn’t even make Scully flinch. The other patrons of the diner, however glanced over, and Scully reached out to touch his hand. He lowered the fork and his head, shrugging.

“Mulder, I’m a doctor, and when I’m sick or injured, I go to see another doctor,” Scully said, but Mulder gave her an incredulous look.

“No you don’t,” He responded quietly, like a petulant child. Scully withdrew her hand.

“The point is, I can’t stand seeing you like this. You’re not the man I—”

She paused, and covered her mouth, but Mulder caught the slip up.

“We aren’t married.”

“That wasn’t what I was planning to say,” Scully corrected herself, her eyes glancing down at her empty plate. She shifted in her seat uncomfortably and moved her hands to brush her hair out of her face.

“What were you going to say?”

“You’re not the same man I fell in love with.”

Neither of them looked at each other. No one else was looking at them. The waiters avoided their table, and it was just as well, since the tension between them was heavy enough to be felt physically.

“That isn’t true,” Mulder started to protest, but Scully stood up, causing her chair to fall over with a loud clatter. She didn’t flinch. Mulder did. Now, everyone was looking at them, and the idle chatter in the diner had stopped.

“You don’t eat, you don’t sleep, you disappear for days, you come back, you don’t leave your office—Mulder, I need you. This isn’t you. You need help.” Slowly, Scully righted her chair, and went through the motions of signaling for the check. Mulder did not look at Scully.

“I just need you,” Mulder said, as the waiter came over to take Scully’s plate. She indicated that she wanted Mulder’s food wrapped up to go, and with a nod, the waiter left.

“I’m here, Mulder. I never left,” Scully said, reaching out to take his hand once again.

It was always the same scene. The location was different, but it was always over food. Scully says he needed help. Mulder denies it. Sometimes Scully was the one cooking, sometimes it was Mulder. Only once, did they have this fight in bed.

“You need help, Mulder,” She always started.

“I don’t see the point,” He always responded.

The day before she left, the fight was the same.

“You need help, Mulder,” She said, watching him as he laid out on the couch lethargically. “I can’t keep doing this dance with you.”

Mulder sat up a little and looked over.

“What are you saying?”

“I’m saying that I want you to get help. I’m saying that I want out. I don’t want to live like this anymore. I can’t stand to watch you wasting away.”

“You wouldn’t.”

_Would she?_

She wouldn’t.

The next morning, she was gone.


End file.
